


Freddy's Nightmares

by shulamithbond



Series: A Dad on Elm Street (or, the Terrible Idea AU) [2]
Category: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Child Murder, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, I keep forgetting which spelling of her name to use, Other, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood, terrible idea AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-17 20:49:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3543317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shulamithbond/pseuds/shulamithbond
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fic based on an AU I was RPing, where Freddy somehow managed to raise Katherine/Kathryn in the dream world despite being dead and somehow it turns out ridiculously fine and sitcom-like. I may write more of these. Don't like, don't read.</p><p>Anyway, this one is based on an angsty/sentimental headcanon I have.</p><p>Edit: also, thanks to Kathrynkruegers on Tumblr for all of these ideas, both for the AU and for these prompts, I should have credited zir sooner!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Freddy's Nightmares

Freddy tried to make it a policy never to fall asleep anymore. He wasn’t even sure why he still could - why would a dream demon need to sleep? Maybe it was some kind of punishment, since he’d been able to bargain his way out of Hell. Either way, every once in a while, he’d spend too long watching TV, sit too long listening to the radio, or drink too many cold ones, and it would happen. He’d drift off.

And he’d dream.

It was always the same one. Not about his childhood or death or anything like that - he probably could have taken that, at least after awhile. Not even normal nightmares about random shit that suddenly became scary because it was a dream. No, just the one nightmare, sooner or later, over and over.

It would start out just fine. He’d be chasing some brat down the winding corridors and over the catwalks of his boiler room, without a care in the world, or at least, as close to “without a care in the world” as he ever got. And he’d catch up to her, of course, and sink his knives in without a second thought.

And then…maybe something would dawn on him as familiar, or maybe it would just be pure chance. But he’d turn her over, look at her face.

And it was at that point that he always woke up, clothes sticky with sweat, like they were right now.

 _“Kathy!_ ” The word was more of a gasp at first.  _“Kathy!”_

The clock and the sun filtering in through the house’s dirty windows was telling him it was afternoon, but he still checked her bedroom first; found it empty. He started half-falling down the stairs, toward the den and kitchen.  _“Katherine Krueger, get your butt out here right now or I swear”-_

“ _Dad,_  I’m in the  _kitchen!_ ” And as he came in, he saw Kathy - alive and intact, sitting at the kitchen table, surrounded by books and paper, clearly doing homework like the good kid she was, and turned around in her chair to stare at her father like he’d just grown an extra head.

“Oh,” Freddy managed.

She shook her head. “You’re so  _weird.”_

Which was an understatement at this point, but it was amazing how much kids could get used to.

“Do your homework,” he grunted, heading for the door. He needed a victim, and a drink or three. He also needed to go and steal something for Katherine’s dinner. It was probably going to be pizza and ice cream.


End file.
